Im in a town called Zabrze in Southern Poland which seems to have only 3 other foreign teachers - 3 guys married to Polish girls and who here for that reason rather than intrepid travelling adveturers like myself - so no really one to go out getting regularly pissed with.

After my first weekend here and Ive started talking to myself in my 9th floor Castlemilk style housing scheme flat (which IM paying 700 zl for which seems way too much - although I think I pay extra for the Swastikas and SS graffiti scrawled over the entrance and walls outside).

As for Polish/Zabre nightlife; I ventured out last night hoping to meet some locals but maybe I wasnt really in the mood ... I eventually went to get some nosh about 11pm only to find all restaurants closed (except mr hamburger) - so I went home and drank some Warka and talked some more to myself.

On a positive note - Polish women make the place a bit brighter.

So far Poland seems bleak and kinda boring (compared to Koreas crazy excited liveliness at least). Heres to my second week and if its dull as my first Im going back to Korea.

I too showed up at a school with only one other Native speaker in October. She was a very nice girl and we kept each other sane, but unfortunetally she was let go half way through the year. Now im trying to keep my sanity without her. i have managed to make a few friends, but most of the teachers i've met are not here to travel or to have fun. If you ever manage to show up to Wroclaw you have a free invitation to party. Its a nice city and the women are even nicer. And dont worry about talking to yourself, you're only crazy when you start to answer yourself.

Basically in Poland a city either has a lot going on or nothing going on. I recommend that you try to move to Cracow. I think Cracow is Europe's best kept secret.

On the other hand it is a hard place to learn Polish as a lot of people here who speak English. If I were in your shoes I would try to learn as much Polish as you can. As I have been here in Cracow for two years and I'm still struggling with the language. In some ways I wish I would have choosen a city where I had to know Polish in the beginning.

sorry to hear u are having a crap time there tumteetum, i am hoping to go and teach english in about a year from now in Poland, preferably in the south(my boyfriend is from tarnow, yes i know i have read the warnings to stay away from escs or whatever that joke of a school is there) i don't mind Tarnow, Krakow, would love to be in a town on the way to zakopane, i love mountains, and believe me there is something magical about the tatry mountains , zywiec or no zywiec, i prefer okocim actually i say hang in there, try to get a cheaper flat, think it is too much, go to krakow(look for job while u are there!) and zakopane in your spare time. If you meet some nice Polish people(it is possible) they will be great friends, make the effort. Hope things work out, let us know!!!
Dobranoc.......

Ha, that was a pretty funny description of your first week in Poland. I can empathize from last September, when I arrived in Kalisz (not as small as your town, perhaps, but just as dull and grim). You could shoot a cannon down the main drag here after 11pm and no one would get hit.
But, hang in there. It gets better, er- I think! Initially, Poles around me seemed a tad aloof and WAY too BUSY/SERIOUS. The pace on the street and the drivers seemed insane (OK, they still do...) But, as I have gotten to know them, a couple of Polish teachers have become good friends. Plus, it's a good way to learn the language (being isolated: believe me, this will come in handy for meeting women, who are always impressed by genuine attempts to speak their language!), and , also: you are close to the mountains, which is A BLESSING this time of year (try sticking out the miserable winter weather on the plain!).
By the way, a trip to Wrocław or Poznan should alleviate some of the boredom, if you get a chance: these two cities are awesome!